Best Tips for Managing Remote Development Teams in 2025

Quick Summary: Remote software development has become a new reality for most employees and organizations since the outbreak of Covid-19. Besides the increasing demand for software developers, organizations nowadays prefer to let their employees work remotely. This guide will discuss the challenges and best practices to manage remote teams. Enjoy!

For years, we have heard several explanations of a trendy statement - Every business is a software business. Undoubtedly, software development is one of the most desirable and fruitful career profiles. Top organizations in different industrial sectors seek efficient software development solutions. And to develop these solutions, they require expert software developers. For this reason, the rising demand for developers worldwide is likely to boost even more in the upcoming years. All thanks to digitization!

In essence, remote software development has become a new reality for most employees and organizations due to the rapid advancements in technology and shifting workforce priorities. Besides the increasing demand for software developers, organizations nowadays prefer to let their employees work remotely (or from home). Not only this, but organizations are also seeking to hire full remote development teams to stay ahead of their competitors. Furthermore, as per the latest trends, 91% of employees worldwide prefer to work fully or almost completely remotely.

We live in the 21st century, and it is a remote-first world. Therefore, organizations can only add more feathers to their cap by hiring and working with remote teams. Managing remote software development teams can be the most affordable approach. It helps businesses save heavy expenses on the workplace, IT infrastructure, meals, internet, electricity bills, refreshments, and many more. Furthermore, they can enjoy the pool of talented software developers that takes their company on the growth path.

But the biggest question - is it easy to manage remote teams?

Management doesn't come in handy!

See, even though remote development teams bring vital advantages to the plate, it also takes a significant amount of work to manage them. You need to ensure the success of your remote development teams by making the partnership more productive, effective, and collaborative. If not, this can result in mismanagement and hamper your business growth (and no company wants that).

However, managing remote software developers is another case; first, you need to hire them. And believe us, the hiring process can really get overwhelming. No worries, please! Go through this guide to hire remote developers, and make your work effortless and stress-free. You can thank us later!

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Now, returning to another vital question - how to manage remote team?

Congratulations! You're in luck today because we'll help you in getting through the confusion on how to manage remote teams. This blog will discuss various aspects of managing remote development teams. We'll also learn about remote vs. in-house developers and go through some significant challenges businesses often face managing remote engineering teams. Then we'll discuss the best practices that help you to manage remote teams while enhancing employee efficiency.

In addition, as part of our software development services, we understand how critical proper tool selection can be for smooth operation and coordination. So, we'll also look at some of the best tools you can deploy to help manage remote development teams.

So, be with us till the end and ease your work when managing remote software developers.

Let's start, then! But, first, the basics.

What is a Remote Development Team?

When we think of a remote development team, the first thing that comes to mind is a group of professionals working from separate locations, time zones, diverse skill sets, and cultures working together towards a unified goal. It is almost true!

However, in some cases, it may not. Many small software development or software development outsourcing teams have a workforce in a single country or even one city. It's just that without going to the workplace— they all work from home or remotely.

"We are each other's harvest; we are each other's business; we are each other's magnitude and bond." – Gwendolyn Brooks

Quite an impressive quote! We all need to follow this.

The spirit remains the same - collaboration for quality. But deploying and working with remote teams is a challenge. Working remotely is one thing, and managing remote development teams is a different game.

Many project management challenges occur while working with remote teams and leading them. However, it's not that hard of a nut to crack (and we'll see why). But first, let's just go through some of the fundamental differences between remote and in-house teams to understand better.

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Remote Team vs. In-House Team: Pros and Cons

So, to understand the difference between a remote development team and an in-house, the best way is to discuss their pros and cons. Both teams are well-versed in custom software development, but more specific parameters exist to understand whether they fit your needs.

Let's start.

Remote Development Team

Pros:

• It provides a faster time to market MVP products
• Freedom to work in familiar surroundings and finish the project on their own scheduled time
• Better productivity and growth
• Minimal overhead cost per employee, reducing the overall cost of software development
• Access to a pool of talents and skillsets

Cons:

• It's a bit challenging to train hired remote developers
• Sometimes leads to a lack of communication and collaboration
• Scaling the remote development team according to business needs is hard

In-House Team

Pros:

• They can adapt to any changes quickly
• Supporting individual participation and teamwork
• The in-house team very well understands the company culture
• Organizations can very professionally manage their employees and operations
• You can focus on core competencies

Cons:

• Lacks skills and capabilities your business may require
• High management and development costs
• Lack of responsibility at higher levels

Now, you can easily identify whether you need a remote development team or an in-house team since both come with advantages and disadvantages.

Above we discussed some cons of a remote development team, but there's nothing to worry about. If we find the root that disturbs managing and working with remote teams, a solution can easily be sought-after. So, the following section is all about the managerial mistakes and challenges that occur while managing remote development teams.

This topic is essential to understand because it will answer the question - how to manage remote teams effectively? Everybody knows what to do, but knowing what not to do is necessary to manage remote team.

Challenges in Managing Remote Development Teams

Remote work is now the need of the hour, and most companies have embraced it to keep up business ops and prefer hiring dedicated software development teams. Every coin has two sides, and with the advent of remote teams, challenges related to managing such a workforce have also surfaced.

Let's now discuss these challenges and managerial mistakes to find keen solutions.

1. Not Setting Clear Expectations

While choosing team extension or dedicated development team, you often neglect investing time and effort in setting and openly communicating your expectations and end goals. It is one of the biggest managerial mistakes. As it's important to share your future service vision and mission and to organize the relevant documents or tutorials to help your remote employees know about the company, processes, services, end goals, etc.

2. Micromanaging the Team

Most managers often confuse micromanagement with important follow-ups (frequent follow-ups). Sorry to the managers reading, but it's a big-big NO. Just because managers can't see remote development teams doesn't justify contacting them now and then asking for updates. Calling and texting your remote team members often can put them under unwanted stress, hamper their efficiency, and lead to a toxic work environment (and no employee would ever want that).

When hiring remote developers, managers should give them some freedom with their deadlines or work schedules as long as they deliver efficient work.

3. Ignoring Time-Zone Differences

If you opt for a remote development team, you need to understand managing and working with remote teams comes with challenges (not that cannot be solved). You need to realize that you will have to communicate and collaborate with individuals across the globe. And not adjusting the in-house team's workflows to manage remote team’s workflows is one of the biggest managerial mistakes that could lead to a wrong impression. It's essential to consider time-zone differences and schedule phone calls, video meetings, and overall meetups accordingly.

4. Dropping the Ball on Feedback

As a manager, your capability to deliver critical or constructive, or actionable feedback to your remote employees is essential for their development and growth. And believe us, if you're not being honest, prioritizing feedback, and not supporting them as they try to achieve their professional goals, you're not doing it right. Dedicating weekly, monthly, or quarterly time to only discussing development, opportunities, and goals with your remote development team is essential. It's like what you do with your in-office development teams.

Have specific meetings to share your feedback or ask them for feedback on how they're doing and whether they are facing any difficulties. It will help them take on opportunities for skill expansion or promotion and help them with tips and tricks to advocate for themselves.

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5. Relying Only on Digital Communication

When opting for remote software development and partnering with remote development teams, many managers think that holding an online meeting online once a week and taking follow-ups are enough when working with remote teams. Bursting your bubble, it's not! And it can never be an appropriate way to manage remote teams. Your remote development team is still a team; you must cherish your relationship with them too.

6. Not Prioritizing Emotional Well-Being

This is one of the most common managerial mistakes when leading virtual teams. After the lockdown, the relationship between remote development teams changed drastically. Employees frequently find themselves enclosed in their shells due to the lack of unorganized time and mental state despite working in their favorable environment. So, managers should focus on providing opportunities for remote development teams to interact digitally. It will help them keep a check on one another and take care of their colleagues.

Concentrating too much on managing the organizational operations and too little on managing remote software developers' social and mental well-being is something that you should avoid. Therefore, to support your remote team better, focus on connecting with them and understanding their well-being.

7. Creating Team-Building Opportunities for Local Team Only

Even though remote work is gaining immense popularity, it doesn't mean that individuals not working from the office don't still enjoy team building activities with their colleagues. As per the Remote Work Report by GitLab, only 33% of organizations arrange team-building activities. So, as your budget allows, you can make some effort to roll in remote development team members to team-building exercises and retreats so they can experience the same fun interaction as in-house team members (like setting a tea or coffee break).

8. Not Taking Advantage of Management Tools

In this time of ever-changing technologies, you should use software to manage remote employees. However, employers often overlook the importance of using quality tools to manage remote teams. These modern software tools are essential for assigning different tasks, tracking the overall progress, managing task completion, and can do more jobs. They also try to make management's work a lot easier. Therefore, employing the best tools for managing remote development teams can significantly boost productivity and performance.

These were some of the most common managerial mistakes and challenges organizations often face working with remote teams.

So, what now?

Let us be practical; if there's a problem, there will be a solution too. So why worry? In the following section, we'll discuss these solutions in the form of some best practices that can help you manage remote teams efficiently.

So, finally, you'll get a clear-cut answer to the question – how to manage remote team?

Curious to know the answers? Why wait, then?

Be ready!

Best Practices for Managing Remote Development Team

Hiring dedicated developers is the first step to triumph in the remote work era, and the second and the most crucial step is managing remote development teams. Therefore, you need to equip yourself with the best practices to experience the utmost potential of remote work.

1. Convey Your Organization's Goals and Expectations Early

Every business has expectations, whether working remotely or in-house, and the manager must mobilize their remote software development teams to achieve them. Being transparent and open with your remote development team helps them focus on business goals. You should make the following objectives clear:

• Working hours
• Required Availability
• Communication
• Adherence to deadlines
• Scheduled meetings
• Responsiveness

2. Develop Ground Rules for Remote Team

This core document will include everything from the groundwork rules, and significant business objectives, to the project description to employee needs and working protocols they should adhere to while joining your organization. This is an ideal way to share your organizational values and culture and present all the things employees must consider while working with you.

Following the project guidelines for better efficiency and productivity is essential, as they are the pillars of a well-formed remote development team. Open communication and transparency of your rules and regulations are necessary when working with remote teams.

3. Utilize Your Online Communication Skills

A setback in communication is expected in a remote working environment (of course!). Without excellent communication skills connecting with teams can prove problematic. The online nature of current biz communication allows instant connectivity; however, online communication skills are essential. Conversations must be quick and precise so that teams do not get confused.

'Good communication is the key!'

4. Offer Consistent Support

Not being face-to-face with team members can have managers struggling with the needs of employees. A thumb rule is that though they may be out of sight, they shouldn't be out of mind. Problems related to a project or a teammate, or workflow are common, and as a manager, one should step up to understand the clues and offer support and a helping hand. Providing support is one of the best ways to make them realize you care for your employees, enhancing your relations with them. It also helps to manage remote teams efficiently.

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5. Define Work Processes

It's all about the PROCESS! Imagine your team member, during the time of action, saying they did not know how to perform such things. This type of situation would surely exhaust your valuable time and resources. Your remote asset needs to see every undertone of their job. Working under the same roof several times gives the employees a chance to reach out to colleagues and superiors for minor matters related to their job functions.

However, when managing remote development teams, you must define the specific SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for essential job functions and ensure proper team inductions. SOPs reduce the possibility of being unaware of their job functions by remote team members. It decreases the interdependence of remote teams for daily activities.

6. Know Your Team

When you opt to hire dedicated programmers, you must prioritize knowing your remote development team. Learning and communicating with a person sitting next to you the entire day is easy. During the 8-9 hours of your office shift, it is easy for managers to know their team inside out, their strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and unique personality traits. But when working with remote teams, the manager will have to make an extra effort to know the team.

7. Find a Relaxing Work Spot

Okay, so we believe in a quiet workplace can calm your soul supremacy. Thereby, find a nice and peaceful place to conduct regular meetings. Both the manager and remote employees should do it. When working in an office or home, the best place is a room with a computer system, video camera, mic, and the most compulsory one - a stable internet connection. And if you lack any of these things, your meetings, your communication won't be as productive. Moreover, setting your desk in a chaotic place can distract you and cause you to lose focus.

8. Plan Business Trips

Managing remote development teams does not always require proper communication, meetings, and extra activities behind your screens. You can also meet your remote development teams. Wondering how? So, who doesn't like vacations? That's it, plan and go on a short business vacation to meet the dedicated developers you've hired in person. This can be an excellent start to your project and collaboration with the remote development team.

Alongside all the business talks, you can also establish personal connections, which will benefit you in the long term. You can also inspire them by sharing some of your accomplishments and the steps you took to get there.

This was all about some of the best tips and tricks to manage remote team. And big congratulations, as you've now unlocked the apt solution on managing remote development teams.

Here's a bonus tip from our side – in the following section, we'll discuss some of the best tools or software to manage remote employees. These tools will efficiently help you in managing remote software developers.

Best Tools for Remote Team Management

Let's discuss some tools and software to manage remote employees, keep them productive, and enhance their professional development.

• Shared Calendar

A shared calendar is helpful software for managing remote employees. It makes planning different tasks and scheduling meetings a cakewalk. It's an ideal way to picture your remote development team's timetable, leaves, and vacation to properly plan upcoming events, conferences, deadlines, and occasions. Using this tool, managers can quickly minimize the time and effort in arranging the tasks properly.

• Chat Application

Chat applications make communication easy with team members from anywhere in the world. It is also a great way to receive quick replies and feedback. This app comes with cloud storage, custom messaging features, security, data encryption, and backup to enable encrypted chat that allows to and fro chat communication.

• Project Management Tool

Project management tools such as Asana, Trello, or Jira, help to manage remote teams efficiently. These tools let the remote development team take accountability for their work. Furthermore, it provides managers clarity to monitor their employees' tasks without contacting them frequently for follow-ups or work status updates. Apart from managing remote development teams, this tool builds a direction to the project, increases a sense of leadership, and draws a clear line regarding responsibility.

• Video Conferencing Software

Video conferencing tools such as Google Meet and zoom allow remote development teams to plan, begin, and manage conferences or meetings quickly. It is a must-have software to manage remote employees and maintain consistent communication.

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Summation

Companies now conduct business in the global marketplace with cultures and ethics differing from latitude to latitude. Businesses mold themselves to their client's needs, and managers should do the same when mobilizing an effective remote team.

The manager should know what makes every team member tick and what gets them down to work. As a manager and leader, we hope this guide will help you create an effective, efficient, and energetic remote team. And most importantly, to help you manage remote team.

Build a Thriving Remote Team with Radixweb!So, if you have a software project that requires a remote development team and are looking for a trusted software development partner, collaborate with Radixweb.Radixweb, a reputable software development company, has been working 'remotely' for 25 years now. As a Microsoft Gold-certified Software development partner, Radixweb has operated remotely for over 3000+ clients across 25 countries.It is our business to transform yours technologically, no matter where your location is.Our technophile attitude and expertise in cutting-edge technologies have helped our remote teams create game-changing custom solutions for our clients, which have become crucial gears in the machinery of their success stories.Connect with us, and we would be happy to help you.